Self-assembled tetrazine cryptophane for ion pair recognition and guest release by cage disassembly.

Hereby, we describe the synthesis of a self-assembled syn-cryptophane using dynamic nucleophilic aromatic substitution of tetrazines. 1H NMR cage titrations reveal that the tetramethylammonium cation binds under slow exchange conditions while counter-anions show a fast exchange regime. Finally, the cryptophane can be disassembled by the addition of thiols allowing guest release.

A Cyclotriveratrylene Solvent-Dependent Chiral Switch.

Chiral molecular switches are attracting attention as they could pave the way to chiral molecular machines. Herein, we report on the design and synthesis of a single molecule chiral switch based on a cyclotriveratrylene scaffold, in which the chirality inversion is controlled by the solvent. Hemicryptophanes are built around a C3 cyclotriveratrylene chiral unit, with either M or P handedness, connected to another tripod and usually displaying an "out" configuration. Here, we demonstrate that solvents are able to control the "in" and "out" configurations of the CTV unit, creating a chiral molecular switch from (M/P)"in" to (P/M)"out" handedness. The full characterization of the "in" and "out" configurations and of the chirality switch were made possible by combining NMR, HPLC, ECD, DFT and molecular dynamics. Interestingly, bulky aromatic solvents such as 2-t-butylphenol favor the "in" configuration while polar aprotic solvents such as acetone favor the "out" configuration. This chiral switch was found to be fully reversible allowing the system to oscillate between two different M and P configurations several times upon the action of solvents stimuli.

Probing the Importance of Host Symmetry on Carbohydrate Recognition.

The design of molecular cages with low symmetry could allow for more specific tuning of their properties and better mimic the unsymmetrical and complex environment of protein pockets. However, the added value of lowering symmetry of molecular receptors has been rarely demonstrated. Herein, C3 - and C1 -symmetrical cages, presenting the same recognition sites, have been synthesized and investigated as hosts for carbohydrate recognition. Structurally related derivatives of glucose, galactose and mannose were found to have greater affinity to the receptor with the lowest symmetry than to their C3 -symmetrical analogue. According to the host cavity modelling, the C1 symmetry receptor exhibits a wider opening than its C3 -symmetrical counterpart, providing easier access and thus promoting guest proximity to binding sites. Moreover, our results show the high stereo- and substrate selectivity of the C1 symmetry cage with respect to its C3 counterpart in the recognition of sugars.

A Dual Anchoring Strategy for the Directed Evolution of Improved Artificial Transfer Hydrogenases Based on Carbonic Anhydrase.

Artificial metalloenzymes result from anchoring a metal cofactor within a host protein. Such hybrid catalysts combine the selectivity and specificity of enzymes with the versatility of (abiotic) transition metals to catalyze new-to-nature reactions in an evolvable scaffold. With the aim of improving the localization of an arylsulfonamide-bearing iridium-pianostool catalyst within human carbonic anhydrase II (hCAII) for the enantioselective reduction of prochiral imines, we introduced a covalent linkage between the host and the guest. Herein, we show that a judiciously positioned cysteine residue reacts with a p-nitropicolinamide ligand bound to iridium to afford an additional sulfonamide covalent linkage. Three rounds of directed evolution, performed on the dually anchored cofactor, led to improved activity and selectivity for the enantioselective reduction of harmaline (up to 97% ee (R) and >350 turnovers on a preparative scale). To evaluate the substrate scope, the best hits of each generation were tested with eight substrates. X-ray analysis, carried out at various stages of the evolutionary trajectory, was used to scrutinize (i) the nature of the covalent linkage between the cofactor and the host as well as (ii) the remodeling of the substrate-binding pocket.

An original self-assembly using a tetrathiafulvalene-based molecular clip for the recognition of fullerene C60.

A glycoluril-based molecular clip incorporating two tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) sidewalls has been synthesized using a straightforward Diels-Alder synthetic route and its ability to self-assemble with fullerene C60 in a 2 : 1 stoichiometry has been demonstrated in solution.

Chemical Optimization of Whole-Cell Transfer Hydrogenation Using Carbonic Anhydrase as Host Protein.

Artificial metalloenzymes combine a synthetic metallocofactor with a protein scaffold and can catalyze abiotic reactions in vivo. Herein, we report on our efforts to valorize human carbonic anhydrase II as a scaffold for whole-cell transfer hydrogenation. Two platforms were tested: periplasmic compartmentalization and surface display in Escherichia coli. A chemical optimization of an IrCp* cofactor was performed. This led to 90 turnovers in the cell, affording a 69-fold increase in periplasmic product formation over the previously reported, sulfonamide-bearing IrCp* cofactor. These findings highlight the versatility of carbonic anhydrase as a promising scaffold for whole-cell catalysis with artificial metalloenzymes.

The Emergence of Anion-π Catalysis.

The objective of this Account is to summarize the first five years of anion-π catalysis. The general idea of anion-π catalysis is to stabilize anionic transition states on aromatic surfaces. This is complementary to the stabilization of cationic transition states on aromatic surfaces, a mode of action that occurs in nature and is increasingly used in chemistry. Anion-π catalysis, however, rarely occurs in nature and has been unexplored in chemistry. Probably because the attraction of anions to π surfaces as such is counterintuitive, anion-π interactions in general are much younger than cation-π interactions and remain under-recognized until today. Anion-π catalysis has emerged from early findings that anion-π interactions can mediate the transport of anions across lipid bilayer membranes. With this evidence for stabilization in the ground state secured, there was no reason to believe that anion-π interactions could not also stabilize anionic transition states. As an attractive reaction to develop anion-π catalysis, the addition of malonic acid half thioesters to enolate acceptors was selected. This choice was also made because without enzymes decarboxylation is preferred and anion-π interactions promised to catalyze selectively the disfavored but relevant enolate addition. Concerning anion-π catalysts, we started with naphthalene diimides (NDIs) because their intrinsic quadrupole moment is highly positive. The NDI scaffold was used to address questions such as the positioning of substrates on the catalytic π surface or the dependence of activity on the π acidity of this π surface. With the basics in place, the next milestone was the creation of anion-π enzymes, that is, enzymes that operate with an interaction rarely used in biology, at least on intrinsically π-acidic or highly polarizable aromatic amino-acid side chains. Electric-field-assisted anion-π catalysis addresses topics such as heterogeneous catalysis on electrodes and remote control of activity by voltage. On π-stacked foldamers, anion-(π) n-π catalysis was discovered. Fullerenes emerged as the scaffold of choice to explore contributions from polarizability. On fullerenes, anionic transition states are stabilized by large macrodipoles that appear only in response to their presence. With this growing collection of anion-π catalysts, several reactions beyond enolate addition have been explored so far. Initial efforts focused on asymmetric anion-π catalysis. Increasing enantioselectivity with increasing π acidity of the active π surface has been exemplified for enamine and iminium chemistry and for anion-π transaminase mimics. However, the delocalized nature of anion-π interactions calls for the stabilization of charge displacements over longer distances. The first step in this direction was the formation of cyclohexane rings with five stereogenic centers from achiral acyclic substrates on π-acidic surfaces. Moreover, the intrinsically disfavored exo transition state of anionic Diels-Alder reactions is stabilized selectively on π-acidic surfaces; endo products and otherwise preferred Michael addition products are completely suppressed. Taken together, we hope that these results on catalyst design and reaction scope will establish anion-π catalysis as a general principle in catalysis in the broadest sense.

Anion-π Catalysis of Diels-Alder Reactions.

Among concerted cycloadditions, the Diels-Alder reaction is the grand old classic, which is usually achieved with acid catalysis. In this report, hydroxypyrones, oxa-, and thiazolones are explored because they provide access to anionic dienes. Their [4+2] cycloaddition with cyclic and acyclic dienophiles, such as maleimides and fumarates, affords bicyclic products with four new stereogenic centers. Bifunctional anion-π catalysts composed of amine bases next to the π surface of naphthalenediimides (NDIs) are shown to selectively stabilize the "open", fully accessible anionic exo transition state on the π-acidic aromatic surface. Our results also include reactivities that are hard to access with conventional organocatalysts, such as the exo-specific and highly enantioselective Diels-Alder reaction of thiazolones and maleimides with complete suppression of the otherwise dominant Michael addition. With increasing π acidity of the anion-π catalysts, the rates, chemo-, diastereo-, and enantioselectivities increase consistently.

Anion-π catalysis: bicyclic products with four contiguous stereogenic centers from otherwise elusive diastereospecific domino reactions on π-acidic surfaces.

Anion-π interactions have been introduced recently to catalysis. The idea of stabilizing anionic intermediates and transition states on π-acidic surfaces is a new fundamental concept. By now, examples exist for asymmetric enolate, enamine, iminium and transamination chemistry, and the first anion-π enzyme has been created. Delocalized over large aromatic planes, anion-π interactions appear particularly attractive to stabilize extensive long-distance charge displacements during domino processes. Moving on from the formation of cyclohexane rings with five stereogenic centers in one step on a π-acidic surface, we here focus on asymmetric anion-π catalysis of domino reactions that afford bicyclic products with quaternary stereogenic centers. Catalyst screening includes a newly synthesized, better performing anion-π version of classical organocatalysts from cinchona alkaloids, and anion-π enzymes. We find stereoselectivities that are clearly better than the best ones reported with conventional catalysts, culminating in unprecedented diastereospecificity. Moreover, we describe achiral salts as supramolecular chirality enhancers and report the first artificial enzyme that operates in neutral water with anion-π interactions, i.e., interactions that are essentially new to enzymes. Evidence in support of contributions of anion-π interactions to asymmetric catalysis include increasing diastereo- and enantioselectivity with increasing rates, i.e., asymmetric transition-state stabilization in the presence of π-acidic surfaces and inhibition with the anion selectivity sequence NO3- > Br- > BF4- > PF6-.

Anion-π Enzymes.

In this report, we introduce artificial enzymes that operate with anion-π interactions, an interaction that is essentially new to nature. The possibility to stabilize anionic intermediates and transition states on an π-acidic surface has been recently demonstrated, using the addition of malonate half thioesters to enolate acceptors as a biologically relevant example. The best chiral anion-π catalysts operate with an addition/decarboxylation ratio of 4:1, but without any stereoselectivity. To catalyze this important but intrinsically disfavored reaction stereoselectively, a series of anion-π catalysts was equipped with biotin and screened against a collection of streptavidin mutants. With the best hit, the S112Y mutant, the reaction occurred with 95% ee and complete suppression of the intrinsically favored side product from decarboxylation. This performance of anion-π enzymes rivals, if not exceeds, that of the best conventional organocatalysts. Inhibition of the S112Y mutant by nitrate but not by bulky anions supports that contributions from anion-π interactions exist and matter, also within proteins. In agreement with docking results, K121 is shown to be essential, presumably to lower the pK a of the tertiary amine catalyst to operate at the optimum pH around 3, that is below the pK a of the substrate. Most importantly, increasing enantioselectivity with different mutants always coincides with increasing rates and conversion, i.e., selective transition-state stabilization.

Interfacing Functional Systems.

The objective of molecular systems engineering is to move beyond functional components and primary systems, towards cumulate emergent properties in interfaced higher-order systems of unprecedented multifunctionality and sophistication.

Asymmetric Anion-π Catalysis of Iminium/Nitroaldol Cascades To Form Cyclohexane Rings with Five Stereogenic Centers Directly on π-Acidic Surfaces.

Anion-π interactions have been introduced to catalysis only recently, and evidence for their significance is so far limited to one classical model reaction in enolate and enamine chemistry. In this report, asymmetric anion-π catalysis is achieved for the first time for a more demanding cascade process. The selected example affords six-membered carbocycles with five stereogenic centers in a single step from achiral and acyclic substrates. Rates, yields, turnover, diastereo- and enantioselectivity are comparable with conventional catalysts. Rates and stereoselectivity increase with the π-acidity of the new anion-π catalysts. Further support for operational anion-π interactions in catalysis is obtained from inhibition with nitrate. As part of the stereogenic cascade reaction, iminium chemistry and conjugate additions are added to the emerging repertoire of asymmetric anion-π catalysis.

Unorthodox Interactions at Work.

This Perspective elaborates on the currently unfolding interest in integrating unorthodox non-covalent interactions into functional systems. Initial emphasis is on anion-π interactions at work, particularly in catalysis. Recent highlights are described in comparison to a coinciding renaissance of the more conventional, charge-inverted cation-π catalysis. Progress with these complementary aromatic systems is then compared to recent efforts to integrate halogen and chalcogen bonds, the unorthodox counterparts of hydrogen bonds, into functional systems. General focus is on catalysis, pertinent examples on self-assembly, transport, sensing, and templation are covered as well.

Anion-π Catalysis of Enolate Chemistry: Rigidified Leonard Turns as a General Motif to Run Reactions on Aromatic Surfaces.

To integrate anion-π, cation-π, and ion pair-π interactions in catalysis, the fundamental challenge is to run reactions reliably on aromatic surfaces. Addressing a specific question concerning enolate addition to nitroolefins, this study elaborates on Leonard turns to tackle this problem in a general manner. Increasingly refined turns are constructed to position malonate half thioesters as close as possible on π-acidic surfaces. The resulting preorganization of reactive intermediates is shown to support the disfavored addition to enolate acceptors to an absolutely unexpected extent. This decisive impact on anion-π catalysis increases with the rigidity of the turns. The new, rigidified Leonard turns are most effective with weak anion-π interactions, whereas stronger interactions do not require such ideal substrate positioning to operate well. The stunning simplicity of the motif and its surprisingly strong relevance for function should render the introduced approach generally useful.

Asymmetric Anion-π Catalysis: Enamine Addition to Nitroolefins on π-Acidic Surfaces.

Here we provide experimental evidence for anion-π catalysis of enamine chemistry and for asymmetric anion-π catalysis. A proline for enamine formation on one side and a glutamic acid for nitronate protonation on the other side are placed to make the enamine addition to nitroolefins occur on the aromatic surface of π-acidic naphthalenediimides. With increasing π acidity of the formally trifunctional catalysts, rate and enantioselectivity of the reaction increase. Mismatched and more flexible controls reveal that the importance of rigidified, precisely sculpted architectures increases with increasing π acidity as well. The absolute configuration of stereogenic sulfoxide acceptors at the edge of the π-acidic surface has a profound influence on asymmetric anion-π catalysis and, if perfectly matched, affords the highest enantio- and diastereoselectivity.

Glycoluril-tetrathiafulvalene molecular clips: on the influence of electronic and spatial properties for binding neutral accepting guests.

Glycoluril-based molecular clips incorporating tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) sidewalls have been synthesized through different strategies with the aim of investigating the effect of electrochemical and spatial properties for binding neutral accepting guests. We have in particular focused our study on the spacer extension in order to tune the intramolecular TTF···TTF distance within the clip and, consequently, the redox behavior of the receptor. Carried out at different concentrations in solution, electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical experiments provide evidence of mixed-valence and/or π-dimer intermolecular interactions between TTF units from two closed clips. The stepwise oxidation of each molecular clip involves an electrochemical mechanism with three one-electron processes and two charge-coupled chemical reactions, a scheme which is supported by electrochemical simulations. The fine-tunable π-donating ability of the TTF units and the cavity size allow to control binding interaction towards a strong electron acceptor such as tetrafluorotetracyanoquinodimethane (F4-TCNQ) or a weaker electron acceptor such as 1,3-dinitrobenzene (m-DNB).

Fused glycoluril-tetrathiafulvalene molecular clips as receptors for neutral electron acceptor guests.

Glycoluril-based molecular clips incorporating tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) sidewalls have been synthesized, and the efficient binding ability in solution of this host architecture toward m-dinitrobenzene through donor-acceptor interaction has been demonstrated.